Isomorphisms of Group Algebras

Let G₁ and G₂ be locally compact groups. If T is an algebraisomorphism of L¹(G₁) onto L¹(G₂) with ||T|| (1+3), then G₁and G₂ are isomorphic. This improves on earlier results, and,in a certain sense, is best possible. However, the main conjecturethat the groups are isomorphic if ||T|| < 2 remains unsolvedexcept for abelian groups and for connected groups. Similarresults are given for the measure algebra M(G) and for the algebraC(G) of continuous functions when the group G is compact.